Chapter 24 - Judgment

For what would be the last time, Gene watched the thick gray concrete slabs of their tomb open. To Gene's left, their seemingly blind legal councilor Kvashi stood nervously in his own glass box. He wore a grim countenance that hadn't changed after the Agents of Libra's testimonies had been given. The platform steadily rose back up through the court's central atrium. On his right, Gene was somewhat more hopeful to see Luna; the warden of his heart.

Beside Luna Midnight grit her teeth, Kazuna kept their eyes shut, Karma scowled, and a now fully cognizant Marth darted his eyes to each and every screaming citizen. Out of the seven of us upon the glass platform, it was Marth who worried Gene the most. Wild cards were his least favorite and this felt like his last hand to gamble with.

Gene hadn't had time to ask why in the ever loving fuck Marth would summon the Obsidian Angel. That wasn't true. Gene had the time, perhaps not the nerve. If he was in a generous mood, perhaps Marth had been coerced, or didn't even know he'd summoned that thing at all. That wasn't the case either. If it wasn't Marth's choice, that opened up a million more questions with no time left to answer them. One possibility terrified Gene; if that entity of evil had followed them to this reality, actively pursued his team, there was no telling what it would do next.

Clearing his throat, Gene asked, "Marth, are you with us?"

Without the familiar grandeur, Marth answered flatly, "Yes, friend Gene. I am here."

A handful of uncomfortable seconds passed before Midnight asked, "Anyone else in there with you, or is it just you...?" With a grotesque face, Midnight made an allusion to our greater foe.

Disconcerting, there was no reply from Marth.

They'd reached the judgment level through the center of the glass lined atrium. Once again on display for the thousands of citizens of Fryga to cast their final judgement. Their glass cage settled in midair of the thirty-eighth floor. House lights dimmed and spotlights shone on the translucent platform. A third set of lights illuminated the thrones of the High Tribunal. One by one the Lion, the Wolf, and the Panther presided. With a chime of their golden bells, the roar of the crowd was instantly vanquished.

Having reviewed a black data tablet, the Judge that wore the golden lion mask rose to their feet; "Luna Kensie Izumiko, Drakon Midnight, Kazuna Nu Wukong, Karma Yasunaga, Marth Yagami, and Councilor Kvasir, the Superior Tribunal of Fryga gives thanks for your candor."

Alongside the first judge, the Wolf stood up; "Having reviewed the evidence and cross examined your alibi, the Superior Tribunal of Fryga gives thanks for your candor."

Last to stand, the Panther Judge addressed us in an eerily hollow voice; "At this time, we of the Tribunal shall allow the accused an opportunity to confess their sins."

Gene's glared over at Kvasir and whispered, "What's our play here?"

He shook his head, "Their play, you mean? Honesty. Honesty is the final move. As for you, keep your mouth shut."

From the balcony above us, a single spotlight shone on Luna.

The Lion Judge rang her bell and gestured at the trembling Wolf Girl, "You may confess your sins now to be added to the official ledger, or forever hold your peace."

Luna swallowed hard before forcing an authoritative voice; "We are agents of Libra, and seek only to preserve Justice, Truth, and Liberty for all. I've nothing else to confess."

Midnight snorted a puff of smoke out from her nose as the spotlight shifted to her, "Same. I've got nuthin' more to explain to you people."

Kazuna was next with a more diplomatic tone; "Citizens of Fryga, Superior Judicial Council, I believe the evidence is clear and sufficient to exonerate us. I confess that my only regret stems from being denied the opportunity to save more lives."

With a determined scowl, Karma admitted, "I confess that my path of revenge will not be so easily extinguished. The true guilty party behind the Disaster at Heimdall Station, Stephen Jenkins, shall be held accountable in this life or the next."

As the light shone on Marth, a fit of laughter escaped his mouth. Then a sharp breath in, followed by a slow exhale. 

In response, the Lion Judge shook their bell in anger, "Marth Yagami, if you have nothing to confess, then remain silent. We will not tolerate any mockery within this court."

Marth spoke and his mighty voice shook the atrium; "My sins are too long to list. But death shall not silence any of us," his head remained bowed and fists clenched tight.

The Wolf Judge rang her bell and addressed the crowded court galleries from the lobby all the way up to the highest floors; "Citizens of Fryga, we the Superior Judicial Council have reviewed the evidence, heard the testimony of the defendants, and accept the confessions of those who stand accused--"

In Gene's peripheral vision, he watched tears stream down Luna's cheeks. Every muscle in his body was ready to break from his bonds and wipe those bitter tears from her face. Instead he watched as Luna screamed, "You will hear from Gene! If you call yourselves a court of justice, you'll hear what he has to say!"

Another sharp electric CRACK filled the air. Luna went limp, but remained conscious, breathing erratically. With some effort, she was able to right herself back to a standing position. Her soft rosy lips continued to move without any sound departing from them.

Councilor Kvasir snapped, "Silence you fools! They're about to pass our sentence."

Kazuna shook her head, "Not until Gene is given a voice."

Karma breathed out in agreement, "Speak, Gene. You've the right regardless of this court's arcane laws. Freedom of speech is given to all sentient life by powers higher than any mortal."

Midnight stomped her foot and whipped her sharp tail upon the glass platform, "Yeah. What the ninja said. Spit it out, Gene!"

Marth continued his struggle to contain his unprovoked laughter.

Gene looked to Councilor Kvasir, and he again urged, "Stay. Quiet."

Fuck that guy. Gene turned toward the woman he should have kept better watch over. Even as his mind remained cloudy, there was one truth that cut through the darkness of Gene's conscience. It was Luna: the light of his life. And honestly, how many times did he need to die before he'd say it? This was it. There was no guarantee that another opportunity would arise, and no greater punishment than keeping his feelings secret any longer...

"I wish to confess," Gene screamed.

Up from the lowest floors to the top, the din of the crowd settled. There was once again absolute silence within the court. Their masked shifted from one another, looking at each other, the Tribunal itself appeared baffled. Whispers rose between the three masked judges, but it was the Lion who spoke first; "This Tribunal does not recognize RAN Android designated 'Starjammer' as an organic being. Non-organic beings are incapable of sin. Without sin, there is nothing to confess. Request denied."

Risking an electric shock up his backside, Gene persisted, "Superior Council, I have sinned greatly. I plead that you grant me permission to confess my sin."

From the silence, confused rumblings arose behind the floor to ceiling glass barrier that contained the crowd. During the last recess, much to his annoyance, Kvasir had explained in minute detail the limitations of the RAN Androids on Fryga. He allowed Gene to read his Data Pad regarding laws that heavily restricted manufacturing and producing droid, or automatons.

They were not sentient.

They were slaves.

After their most recent global war, the Frygan Articles of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence placed clear limitations on how advanced an Android could be. If it wasn't real; no desires, no wants, or consciousness, then the populace had no guilt in maintaining hundreds of thousands of them as servants across their earth. To recognize an Android as anything other than machinery would open the flood gates to a moral dilemma of epic proportions.

However, standing among the people, identified as a RAN Android by both Frygan Medical Staff and their own Superior Court, one such machine had declared its desire to confess to sin. That sin may have been obvious only to Gene, but it wouldn't stay hidden any longer. While the judges struggled to grasp the dark implications of a sentient machine, the pilot made his move.

Gene turned to Luna, stretching his right hand within the limits of their bonds toward her and shouted, "Luna Izumiko, I'm not the man you once knew. In the last few hours we've been together, there is no force that could keep me from becoming the man worthy of your affection."

Still reeling from the electric shock, Luna's eyes fluttered and drifted toward Gene.

There was a bell that rang from the balcony above; "RAN Android, you may not confess! You are not organic, nor are you capable of human emotion. Councilor, stop this machine at once!"

Gene ignored their assessment and orders; "I must confess that you are everything to me. With my last breath, I would give all I have to be with you until the end of time."

Another urgent tolling bell rang from above. The Panther Judge cried out, "RAN Android, you will remain silent before this court!"

With a weak smile, Luna moved her lips to say something Gene couldn't hear. Her hand moved up, trying to connect with his. Their bonds were too tight. They remained with a gap between their fingertips, chains unable to permit them to bridge the distance. In the absence of her touch however, Gene notice something on the top of his right hand that hadn't been there before.

Even after his artificial flesh had repaired itself around Gene's arm and hand, Luna's bite mark had been missing. That particular scar had been absent... Until now. In the space between his thumb and index finger, the indents from two sharp canine teeth along with a full row of front teeth were now present. Similar to the scar that ran down the center of my body, evidence of a past life had now miraculously reflected upon the surface of Gene's false flesh.

In light of this new revelation, Gene raised his voice with new conviction; "I confess, that my life is not my own, but dedicated my true love, Luna Izumiko. By your blood covenant, I promise myself to you--"

The third bell rang followed by an unrelenting electric shock. Gene strained his eyes to remain open, to see colors, shapes, patterns; but there were only lines of code and a haze of red that flickered uncontrollably. The sound of the Lion Judge continues to boom in crystal clear as he cried out in rage, "Sentencing shall now commence!"

Before Gene's mind blacked out, he hear a dull groan blossom into a roaring chant. Feet began stomping. Hands pounded on the glass in rhythm as thousands of voices demanded, "Let. Him. Speak!"

"Let. Him. Speak!"

"Let. Him--

At first, Gene considered that he actually blacked out. That must all be a malfunction. Whatever the computer equivalent of wishful thinking was. He looked once again to Luna as the haze began to clear and the others. What had actually happened was the clear glass panels had been darkened to nontransparent black walls. None of the citizen jurors could see in. No one outside the barrier could be heard. Inside, only the seven accused foreigners that floated in midair on the glass platform thirty-eight stories above the ground remained. Above them, the three masked judges gazed down in disdain.

Speaking first, the Lion Judge roared, "Your theatrics are an insult to everything this Judicial System stands for!"

Kvasir stammered, attempting to repair the damage, "Our deepest apologies, Your Honors. This machine, he--"

In this moment, Gene pretend only Luna and he remain. Straining, he attempted to propel the words that must be spoken out of my mouth. The truth is heavy, but the desire to lift that truth was greater. Expectantly, Luna's devastatingly beautiful eyes stared deeper into Gene. He swallowed the lump in his throat and forced the words out, "Luna, I promise with all that I am now... I Promise you..."

Marth bursted out laughing. Maniacal, otherworldly laughter echoed throughout the court as he abruptly declared, "We invoke the right of death by combat against your Grand Judicator."

Without any further argument, the Tribunal unanimously rang their bells. "So be it. Send the accused to face the Grand Judicator and may Oden have mercy on your souls. We the Superior Judicial Council wash our hands of this farce." 

One by one, they removed their masks.

One by one, the face of Stephen Jenkins appeared.

"You specks enjoy yourselves," The three identical faces laughed, rose from their thrones and walked back into the shadows.

Our platform rapidly descends as Kvasir pleaded, "NO! Your Honors, please have mercy!" 

Their lawyer begged for leniency all the way down into the concrete tomb. There was no grace given as the ceiling sealed itself closed for the last time. The Agents of Libra are dumbfounded by the revelation of their judges. Gene is still preoccupied with forcing the feeble words within his heart and eject themselves out of his mouth. All the while, simultaneously aware that the concrete floor now morphs into matted black glass. White lights and blue eclectic circles beneath their feet continue to glow brighter. A terrible hum rose in pitch, soon a deafening screech. Their bodies become encased in harsh light, and are instantly transported half a world away to the other side of Fryga...

...To meet their doom.